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Putting Qumran, Jesus and His Movement Into Relief

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Putting Qumran, Jesus and His Movement Into Relief HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies ISSN: (Online) 2072-8050, (Print) 0259-9422 Page 1 of 10 Original Research Putting Qumran, Jesus and his movement into relief Author: After referring briefly to the fantasies regarding the origins of Christianity as elicited by the 1 Eben Scheffler discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947 (Dupont-Sommer, Allegro, Thiering), the purpose of Affiliation: the contribution is to put the Jesus movement into relief in the context of first-century Judaism. 1Department of Biblical and The identity of the Qumranites is argued to be Essene scribes. The identity, ideology and Ancient Studies, University of practices of the latter are compared with those of Jesus of Nazareth and the movement he South Africa, South Africa elicited using the following rubrics: (1) Jesus, the teacher of righteousness and the powers that Corresponding author: be; (2) asceticism versus itinerary charismaticism; (3) caring versus lack of caring for the sick, Eben Scheffler, poor and marginalised; (4) elitist priests and scribes versus lower-class peasants; (5) the [email protected] interpretation of the law; (6) religious and daily practices (baptism, ritual meal, sacrifice, prayer, community of possessions, scribal activity); (7) religious views or ideology (kingdom Dates: Received: 10 May 2016 of God, the new covenant, light and darkness, politics). The result is a picture of Jesus (with his Accepted: 12 Aug. 2016 focus on human suffering) in sharp relief versus Qumran and facets of the early church. Published: 17 Nov. 2016 How to cite this article: Scheffler, E., 2016, ‘Putting Introduction Qumran, Jesus and his I intentionally chose not to title this article ‘Qumran and Jesus’ (cf. Flint 2006, 2014; Horsley 2006; movement into relief’, HTS Teologiese Studies/ Stauffer 1959:13–16) but instead ‘Qumran, Jesus and his movement’, to include the beliefs and Theological Studies 72(4), practices of the earliest followers of Jesus or the Urgemeinde (Conzelmann 1978:30–42; Reicke a3479. http://dx.doi. 1957). One may ask why such a reflection is necessary. The purpose is twofold, firstly to counter org/10.4102/hts.v72i4.3479 fantasies regarding the Jesus movement and Qumran that seem to recur constantly, even today, Copyright: and secondly to get a better relief of Jesus and the movement he elicited within the context of first- © 2016. The Authors. century Judaism. In order to make such a comparison, one should have an operational point of Licensee: AOSIS. This work departure1 about the identity of the Qumranites and their relation to the scrolls. After spelling out is licensed under the my position in this regard, I compare the Qumran community and the Jesus movement under Creative Commons Attribution License. several rubrics, followed by some statements in conclusion. Speculations regarding Qumran, Jesus and the early church When the first seven scrolls were discovered in 1947 in Cave 1 by Mohammed ed-Dhib (De Vaux 1973), many popular speculations followed regarding their relationship with early Christianity. Some of these speculations were interpreted as a threat to Christian beliefs as such, and the fact that there had been an interruption in the publication of the scrolls (which in fact had more to do with personal problems than anything else) was interpreted by many as an embargo put on the publication by the Roman Catholic Church for fear of its faith being undermined. I will not give attention to the more popular publications now, except for two that came from ‘scholarly circles’ and one popular one of recent years.2 Within five years of the discovery of the scrolls, the French New Testament scholar Andre Dupont- Sommer associated the Qumran community with the Jesus movement, by referring to resemblances he distinguished on the basis of studying some literature (the first discovered scrolls). In 1952 he argued that Jesus was an ‘astonishing reincarnation’ of the Hebrew ‘Teacher of Righteousness’ (or what he labelled the ‘Master of Justice’): Everything in the Jewish New Covenant heralds and prepares the way for the Christian New Covenant. The Galilean Master, as He is presented in the writings of the New Testament, appears in many respects as an astonishing reincarnation of the Master of Justice [the Teacher of Righteousness]. Like the latter He Read online: preached penitence, poverty, humility, love of one’s neighbour, chastity. Like him, He prescribed the Scan this QR code with your 1.‘Operational point of departure’ implies certain propositions that should be well-argued but need not be totally verified, in terms of smart phone or which the research is undertaken. Arguments that follow may strengthen the point of departure or weaken it. In case of the latter, the mobile device relevant data should be reassessed. to read online. 2.Those who are interested in the popular furore are referred to numerous websites (cf. also Vermes 1977:24). http://www.hts.org.za Open Access Page 2 of 10 Original Research observance of the Law of Moses, the whole Law, but the Law However, I, for my part, am of the opinion that honest finished and perfected, thanks to His own revelations. Like him comparison between the Qumranites and the Jesus movement He was the Elect and the Messiah of God, the Messiah redeemer also provides many interesting insights. of the world. Like him He was the object of the hostility of the priests, the party of the Sadducees. Like him He was condemned and put to death. Like him He pronounced judgment on The Qumranites as Essene scribes Jerusalem, which was taken and destroyed by the Romans for Important for the relationship between Jesus and his having put Him to death. Like him, at the end of time He will be movement and Qumran is the simple question of who lived the supreme judge. (Dupont-Sommer 1952:99; Flint 2006) at Qumran, in other words the identity of the Qumranites. If one follows the methodology to relate the Serek Hayachad The second publication that caused a sensation is that of John (Community Rule, 1QS) and Damascus Rule (CD) to the Allegro, whose work elicited all the more attention since he excavations done by De Vaux and his team (De Vaux 1973; was one of the official editors of the publication of the scrolls De Vaux & Broshi 1993:1235–1241; Scheffler 2000:185–188), (see Allegro 1968). In his book The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross (1970; cf. also 1979), he asserted that there grew a which most scholars do, to my mind the question can, to a specific mushroom at Qumran, which once ingested caused great extent, be answered. A comparison between 1QS, CD the Qumranites to experience delusions resulting in religious and Pliny and Josephus on the Essenes renders enough fantasies, of which the whole Jesus story was the result. similarities to conclude that the Qumranites were part of the Allegro therefore became one of the most prominent Jesus broader Essene movement. For the sake of comparison I deniers or what are today called ‘mythicists’. Allegro’s book quote the relevant texts from Pliny (see Table 1) and Josephus suggested that the discoveries at Qumran (excavations as (Table 2).5 well as scrolls) revealed that Jesus did not exist and that Christianity is a scam. Today fantasies like that of Allegro still The most widely accepted assessment on the identity of appeal to some would-be sceptics (discussion in cf. Ehrman the Qumranites is thus that they were an ascetic Essene 2012). It is also understandable that Christians supposing sect (Albright 1960:222–223; Baumbach 1969:226; Bimson Allegro to be right were shocked in their faith. & Kane 1985:59; Bornkamm [1956] 1975:39–40; Botha 2001:67–76; Bruce 1974:169–175; Burrows 1961:740; Casey However, Flint (2006:111) is correct in stating that the 2010:121–123; Crossan & Reed 2001:7; Davies 1989:340–342; resemblances that Dupont-Sommer detected do not represent Du Randt 1998; Eshel 2009:26–27; Farrington 2003:114; Flint real connections between Qumran and early Christianity. 2013:127–152; Gal 2010:18–19; Gunneweg 1972:161; Hengel Dupont-Sommer indeed put points of comparison on the 1988:394; Hermann 1980:473; Jagersma 1985:102–110; Keller table (he compared but did not identify Jesus as the Master 1981:423–4316; Kravitz 1973; Meeks 1986:75–81; Metzger of Justice), but as discussed below a close scrutiny of 1983; Millard 1990:102–114; Murphy O’Connor 2008:46; these points of comparison reveal differences of cardinal Noth 1960; Pfeiffer 1957:85; Reicke 1968:125–126; Ringgren importance. 1963:314–315; Schonfield 1984; Stauffer 1959; Stegemann 1998; Tenney 1967:95–106; Thompson 1989:269–287; Van In 1992 Barbara Thiering of the University of Sydney der Ploeg 1957:68; VanderKam 2010:127–156; Vermes published her book Jesus the Man, which is described on the 1977:125–130, 1998:46–48; Vriezen & Van der Woude title page as ‘the controversial bestseller that will change 1973:367–369; Wright 1962:216–220, 235–238). However, forever your view of Christianity’. According to her Jesus this conclusion, based on the quoted texts, is not without was the ‘Wicked Priest’ of Qumran, opposing the ‘Teacher of problems and refinement of the thesis is needed (see Righteousness’, who in her view was John the Baptist. Jesus discussion in Fensham 1976:25–35; Golb 1995:1157; Maier led a radical faction of Essene priests, was not born of a virgin, did not die on the cross, was married to Mary 1972:57–63; VanderKam 2010:97–126). Pliny the Elder (who Magdalene, fathered a family and later divorced. He died took part in the siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE and learned a after AD 64 (Thiering 1992).
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